Avon’s Late Double Lifts Firebirds

J.R. Avon delivered the week’s biggest moment for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, scoring twice in the final 1:41 to turn an apparent defeat into a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Gulls on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

The Firebirds entered the closing minutes trailing 2-1 at Pechanga Arena. With goaltender Nikke Kokko pulled for an extra attacker, Logan Morrison found Avon for the tying goal. Avon struck again with only 21 seconds remaining, converting a pass from Julius Miettinen and ending Coachella Valley’s four-game winless streak.

Lukas Dragicevic scored the Firebirds’ opening goal, assisted by Morrison and Jagger Firkus. Kokko stopped 18 of 20 shots, while Coachella Valley outshot San Diego 31-20.

The dramatic finish offered an encouraging sign for a young team still searching for consistency. That problem resurfaced when the Firebirds returned to Acrisure Arena on Friday, Oct. 23.

San Jose scored twice during the opening seven minutes and defeated Coachella Valley 5-2. Dragicevic scored for the second consecutive game, while Jani Nyman added his ninth goal of the season with 39 seconds remaining. Kokko made 29 saves, but the Barracuda held a 34-24 advantage in shots.

The Firebirds split their two games during the week and entered Monday with a 3-3-2-1 record.

The roster also continued to move between the desert, Seattle and Kansas City. Forward Jakov Novak was recalled from the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks on Oct. 20. Seattle returned defenseman Ty Nelson to Coachella Valley on Oct. 21 following his first NHL call-up. Nelson did not appear in a Kraken game.

Seattle then recalled Nyman on Oct. 24 after forward Jared McCann was placed on injured reserve. Nyman left Coachella Valley as the team’s leading goal scorer.

The Firebirds remain home this week. They face the Tucson Roadrunners at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, during Winning Wednesday. Henderson visits Acrisure Arena at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, for Día de los Muertos. A limited number of luchador masks will be distributed to fans.